There Was No Choice in the Matter
by Playing Gay Jim from IT
Summary: Had things been different, so much else could have happened, so much else would have changed. AU Harry has been sorted into Slytherin and made friends with the notorious Draco Malfoy. D/H Slow moving at first, picks up later
1. Inklings

"SLYTHERIN!" He blinked in surprise, with just a tinge of disappointment. The hat is pulled off his head and he's ushered to the table full of shouting Slytherin. He glances at the two people he had met on the train to Hogwarts and offers an apologetic shrug, as if that makes up for everything. The ginger one looks nearly livid and turns away, leaving the other boy to face the wrath of Slytherin.

At first…. Well to be honest, at first he's upset.

He hadn't wanted to be in Slytherin, he wanted to follow his potential friends into Gryfindor. The only person he knows now is…. He doesn't like to think about it.

He takes a seat at the end of the table and waits for the sorting to be finished, staring at the empty spot in front of him. He hangs his head.

Shame? Is that what you call it? That's how he feels though. He feels ashamed that he got put into the one house that has a bad reputation.

And then he starts to worry. Is he going to turn into a follower of Voldemort? He shudders at the thought, blinking slowly to make sure he doesn't stare too long. The spot on the table next to him is now occupied and the person that sits next to him taps him on the shoulder. He looks up and wishes that he hadn't.

"Oh." He says quietly before focusing on the table again. The blond boy frowns.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing." The blond boy's frown deepens and he turns to face the table himself.

"You're upset aren't you." It wasn't really a question, more of statement of the obvious, and he nods. The blond boy shakes his head. "You shouldn't be. The sorting hat wouldn't put you where you weren't supposed to go. At least, that's what my father told me."

He doesn't know if that's supposed to cheer him up, or make him feel worse, so he says nothing.

"You and I are first years together, and we'll be spending a lot of time together." The blond boy continues, "Best start to get to know me."

Harry looks at Draco for a moment. "Why?" The boy smiles.

"Because, you don't want to have a totally awful first year do you?" He sticks his hand out. "I've already introduced myself, but I think it merits to do it again. I'm Draco Malfoy." Harry looks at the hand for a minute before taking it in his own and giving it a shake,

"Harry Potter."

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Just to be clear, Drarry fic, probably slow to start out, and taking place probably more around their fifth, sixth year. This is an AU fic as well, (NO DUH). Just so we're all clear. Might be a bit slow. This first chapter gives a little background, sets the stage. It serves as a prologue if you will. Anyway, enjoy, and don't forget to review. <em>

_I'll try to update this as often as I can, it's a bit difficult. This first chapter is shorter than I had wanted, and is WEEKS over due, so... I'm trying to set up a system, where either I get up in the mornings really early, or I type as much as possible on Saturdays for every single one of my fanfictions. Trust me. It will be hard. _


	2. The Exchange

_Summer of the end of year five_

Harry sits on his bed, occasionally glancing out the window, waiting for any sign of the owl bringing his letter. Draco had promised he would write every day. Being friends from year one on, it's kind of hard to go home after seeing him every day for nearly a year. Draco's his only friend it would seem, sure the other blokes were cool, sure they hang out at time, but they weren't Draco. Harry lays down on his bed, putting his hands on his stomach and staring at the ceiling.

The Dursely's were out for the night, thank goodness. Harry doesn't know if he could have dealt with them tonight. What with their words and actions. He rubs at his side, the bruise from the weekend before, throbbing slightly.

He glances out the window again. No owl. He sighs. If only he had some other way to communicate with Draco… He wants to tell him all the things that happened this week, all the words he endured. Draco is the only one Harry trusts enough to tell about the Duresly's. Draco's the only one Harry trusts on a lot of things. He twiddles his thumbs, watching the ceiling fan make loop after loop after loop. It's rather boring he thinks to himself, watching it spin, and spin and spin. He glances out the window one last time and closes his eyes. Not intending to sleep, just rest, just to wait until another letter from Draco arrived, but sleep came, and he floated away on a sea of green.

OoOoOoOoO

The sound of the window being scratched on causes Harry to wake up, a giant grin on his face. He lets the sleek black bird in and takes the note attached to it's foot. He strokes the owl's head.

"Hello Pip." The package that the owl had brought him was oblong, round at one end, skinny and straight at the other. Frowning with curiosity, he unfolds the letter that's attached.

_Harry,_

_Hopefully, you'll open this before the present I've sent you. If not that would be pretty awkward. What I've sent you is a two way mirror. When you hold it mirror and look into it, and I hold my mirror and look into mine, we can see each other and talk. Much more efficient than sending letters all the time. _

Harry smiles as he reads the letter and starts to open the package, pulling the brown paper and exposing the reflective surface. He turns the plain mirror over in his hands several times, a question etched on his face. How-? Maybe the note… He picks up the note and finishes the text.

_In order for it to work, you have to look at it and say my name. It'll tell me that you're looking through it and then we can talk. I suppose it's like the noise muggle email makes…._

That last bit made Harry laugh. Draco, forever trying to work out how muggles work. He supposes that's why Draco hates mudbloods so much, he can't understand them, and what Draco can't understand, he rejects. It's only human after all. He turns the mirror over again and stares into it. Feeling a bit silly he says aloud, "Draco…." And waited.

For several seconds nothing happens.

This makes Harry quite perplexed.

That is at least until Draco's grey eyes and blond hair replace his reflection. Draco comes into focus, much like a camera lens. The blond one smiles.

"Harry! I knew you'd figure it out." Harry grins.

"How are you?" He asks, bending over the mirror to get a good look. "You look well." Draco glances over his shoulder, and leans close to the mirror,

"I'm fantastic actually." Glances over his shoulder again before turning back and whispering, "I've been practicing a new spell." His breath fogs up the mirror. He smiles and wipes off his side. "Sorry." Draco sits back in his chair and looks at Harry. "How have you been? Alright I hope." His voice has a hint of worry. Harry purses his lips, not saying a word. Draco frowns. "Show me." He's not asking and Harry sighs.

"It's nothing this time Draco. Really." Draco shakes his head, disregarding Harry.

"Show me." Harry frowns.

"Hold on." He sets the mirror beside him to pull his shirt up. Draco draws in a sharp breath. Harry lowers his shirt and picks the mirror up again. Before Draco and can even say anything he shakes his head, "I know."

"Harry-!"

"Sh. No." Harry cuts Draco off before he can finish his sentence. Draco frowns.

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"At a guess you were going to tell me to talk to Snape or something." Draco half laughs.

"God no. Professor Snape hates you! I was just going to say that it's still bad," Harry huffs and Draco just continues speaking over Harry's interruption, "And then I was going to ask if you wanted me to come get you. Father said that I could have a friend come stay for the last few weeks of summer." Harry bites his bottom lip in anxiety,

"I don't know… Your dad doesn't really like me…" Draco laughs.

"No one really likes you Harry. You were supposed to be the chosen one. I mean, if you had been sorted into Gryfindor I'm pretty sure that everyone would be fawning over you, rather than that Longbottom bloke. I mean, even with that scar on your forehead, it doesn't mean anything except that You-Know-Who branded you." Harry offers the other boy a crooked smile,

"You know what I meant. He _really _doesn't like me." Draco grins.

"Well that's his problem. If he doesn't like you, he should have specified. Anyway, Dobby likes you. I'm sure he wouldn't mind having you."

"Dobby's your house elf." Harry says with a smile.

"Apart from you, I'm the only one that actually has any respect for the guy." Harry laughs at that.

"He cleans the toilets for god's sake, how can you not respect the guy?" The two start laughing at that. Draco sobers up quicker than Harry though and still smiling repeats his offer.

"So what do you think? Want to come stay for a few weeks?" Harry stops laughing.

"Are you sure? I mean…. You'd have to get me before _they_ get back." Draco nods.

"No problem 'Arry. We're going to do this right though. Before _they_ get back. What did _they_ say when," he gestures to Harry's side, "that happened. What was said?" Harry frowns. He never really likes to talk about these kinds of things.

"They called me a brat, told me that they're glad my parents are dead because even though they have to take care of me, at least they get to pay less on taxes. They told me about how my father was the first to die and that one day I'm going to be murdered too, just like them. It goes on and on. Draco, I don't want to talk about this." The blond boy nods.

"I'll be over in a few minutes. Flu powder power and all. Be ready. You remember last time I got stuck, we figured how to make it work. Do you remember?" Harry nods once and Draco smiles. "Good. Go fix that, and then pack. If you aren't done by the time I get there, I'll come help you. See you in a bit."

"Yeah." Draco starts to move out of the picture and Harry's own reflection starts to solidify.

"Oh!" Draco's image appears once again and Harry smiles, "Don't forget your wand this time mate. I don't have enough stashed away to make another trip." Harry smiles.

"I won't."

"Good. See you in a few." The image of Draco fades away and Harry sits on his bed, grinning at his own reflection for a moment. How was it possible? He asks himself and he runs his fingers over his scar. How was it possible that he was marked, but not chosen? He snaps out of it and stands up. Draco is going to be coming. He rushes down stairs and sets up the back wall of the fireplace to slide away before running upstairs and starting to pack, all the while a gigantic grin on his face. Fantastic.

_Author's Note: Bit over due, yes. Sorry. I decided I didn't really get much feedback last time, and I couldn't decide what to do with the Dursely's that I would just go with it. That meant making Harry more of a victim than he was in the books. OH WELL! Don't like, deal with it if you keep reading the story, 'cause I'm not changing it. Not really sure what the plot of this is, other than I want Harry and Draco to end up together! Any suggestions would be fantastic. Lemme know. Otherwise it's going to evolve on it's own. _

_Reviews are love. _

_So don't forget to spread it by reviewing. _

_CIAO! _


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